Removing Stuck Shower Faucet Cartridge

[Unknown]

The hot water faucet in one of our showers continued to let water drip from the spout unless the
faucet was closed with significant torque. The usually easy task of removing the (EMCO) cartridge
has turned into a nightmare because of the follwing factors:
1. It's stuck
2. The previous home owner appears to have encountered the problem as well, because the hex locknut
is partially stripped.
3. The exterior threaded portion of the tub valve assembly extends out too far, so that it
partially covers the hex locknut, thereby making it impossible to grip what's left of the locknut
with a pipe wrench.

I tried a socket wrench, but there isn't enough of the locknut left to maintain proper contact. An
associate at Home Depot suggested I grip the remnants of the locknut with a vise grip (straight
on), heat the exterior threaded portion of the tub valve assembly with a propane torch, and then
turn the vise grip with a pipe wrench. I tried this procedure twice, but to no avail.

Is there anyone in the audience who has experienced this problem, and has one, last, sure fire
suggestion before I pick up the telephone to summon the local plumber?

Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Regards, Peter
e-mail: seelert@<<NOSPAM>>idirect.com

[Robert Hancock]

Well, personally I suggest ripping out the faucet and replacing it, but
other than that I'm afraid I'm more or less at a loss! Have you tried
spraying it with WD-40, CLR, or other such substances to see if they will
loosen it? I don't know if they will help if it's that stuck though.

--
Robert Hancock Saskatoon, SK, Canada
To email, remove "nospam" from hanc...@nospamhome.com
Home Page: http://members.home.net/hancockr

<Peter Seelert> wrote in message news:372c8d5f...@n3.idirect.com...

[Unknown]

Robert,
Thank you for your suggestions. I'll try the WD40. Unfortunately, "ripping out the faucet" means
retiling the bathtub/shower walls. I'm trying to avoid escalating a $3.00 repair job into a
$3,000.00 renovation.

[<RJ>]

Actually, "ripping out the old one" is pretty good advice.
It'll be a long-term fix to the problem.

Look on the other side of the faucet wall.
There should be an access panel there.
If so, changing the faucet should be pretty straightforward.

[Unknown]

Yes, attacking the problem from the other side of the wall is sage advice. Cutting through the
drywall will result in a much less painfull restoration than retiling. Home builders in the
Toronto area are not visionaries, and, hence, don't provide such essentials as access panels,
cut-off valves, etc. Thanks for the advice!

Now, where did I leave my Binford 2000 2 h.p. drywall saw?

[Unknown]

Problem resolved!
1. Apply liberal doses of WD40.
2. Wait 24 hours.
3. Carefully cut off 0.25" of the externally threaded portion of tub valve assembly to fully expose
the hex locknut of the cartridge.
4. Apply heat to the externally threaded portion of tub valve assembly with a propane torch.
5. Remove the stubborn cartridge with a pipe wrench.

Thank you, again, to all who offered suggestions!